The woman known to fight fans as Nat Thrills, The Kilapino, and Natalie Hills Gonzales has decided to hang up the combat sports gloves.
Hills made the decision to retire after her recent Muay Thai fight in New Zealand, which resulted in a victory over Emma Nesbitt on Aug. 19.
Asian fans will remember Hills from her time as ‘The Kilapino’ in the ONE Championship strawweight division from 2015-2017, where she fought top competitors, including current champion Angela Lee.
Crossfire readers will remember the Christmas messages Hills graciously shared in 2018 and 2019.
Hills transitioned into Muay Thai after her time with ONE, where she won several national championships in Australia, before dabbling into boxing as well. She shared some thoughts behind her decision on Instagram:
“I turned 35 this year and reached a crossroads. After 12 years of fighting MMA, Muay Thai & Boxing professionally I have decided to hang up the gloves, longer post to come.
Beyond grateful to my team @boonchugym for helping me win my retirement fight. The pressure was on to represent with @joshtrowbridge_ and @tyebradshaw27 winning their bouts prior to mine.
I had my 20th Muay Thai fight as the co-main event on @razorpromotions . My record ends as 17 wins, 3 losses and holding multiple State, East Coast & National titles.
I started martial arts to gain confidence after a string of disempowering events. I didn’t have the self esteem to assume I could become a champion, I just wanted to travel away from my home town and study martial arts at their origins. The discipline I learned on the road has shaped me into a different human! The ability to back myself came later than it should. I’ve always struggled in fights to be confident as so resistant to seeming cocky. Playing small is something I will continue to shed.
Thank you to everyone I met on my travels, who I trained with or learnt from. ❤️🔥
Hills also shared a moment on Instagram accepting a marriage proposal after the fight backstage from her boyfriend now turned fiance James McKenna, which was witnessed by combat sports legend John Wayne Parr, no less.
Many fans and competitors have taken to social media to congratulate Hills on her career and wish her the best in her future endeavours.
